Argumentative Writing Lesson Plan- Alyssa DiFlora

EDU 465- Bordentown Regional Middle School

April 4, 2016
Subject/Topic: 6th Grade Language Arts Argumentative Writing
Length: Core 3
Standards:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.1
Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant
evidence.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.1.A
Introduce claim(s) and organize the reasons and evidence clearly.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.1.B
Support claim(s) with clear reasons and relevant evidence, using
credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or
text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.1.C
Use words, phrases, and clauses to clarify the relationships among
claim(s) and reasons.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.1.D
Establish and maintain a formal style.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.1.E
Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from the
argument presented.
Objective: SWBAT form arguments and state a claim in essay form
based on evidence in a text, while acknowledging the other side of the
argument as well.
Materials:
New York Times Article
Pens and Pencils
Highlighters

Procedure:

1. Students enter the room and complete general housekeeping.

2. Students complete their Do- Now and have SSR time for about 20
minutes.
3. Teacher writes class agenda on the board and homework (if any).
4. Class goes over Do-Now with teacher on the board. Two students
volunteer to correct sentences on the board and other volunteer
to correct answers.
Engagement/ Anticipatory Set:
5. Teacher explains how we are working more with argument
writing. As you all know, we have been working with
argumentative texts and argument writing. Just to recap,
what is the purpose of argument writing? Why did we just
write those essays? What do we prove with argument
writing?
6. Class whips shares around the room.
7. Teacher explains team essay writing. Now that we have
wrapped up our first argument essays, I wanted to try
team argument writing. We are going to apply what we
just learned by taking a look at a new article and we are
going to work as a team to create an argument, then
were going to use the skills we just learned about
writing an effective argument essay as we construct our
own.
Mentor-Teach Model:
8. Teacher passes out copies of New York Times Student I.D article
9. Teacher explains protocol for passage reading. Today, we are
going to be reading this article from the New York Times.
Some of you may form your own opinions on the subject,
but remember, with argument writing, its about FACTS.
Not, what?
10.
Students answer Opinions. Great, so, what are some
things that you know about Student IDs, have you ever
been given a student I.D? What do you the point of a
Student ID is?
11.
Teacher writes guided reading questions on the board.

12.
Class reads passage aloud together. Teacher reminds class
about following along.
13.
Teacher goes over questions at the end to ensure concrete
understanding.
Independent Application:
14.
Teacher has students find evidence in the article to
support: YES, Students should have tracking IDs. Now that we
have read the article, what Id like you to do is to take a
highlighter, pen or pencil and read through the text
again. Since we are team writing, everyone on the team
will be on the same side of the argument. In our case, we
are on Team YES (Students should have tracking IDs)
(Teacher writes this on board). Now work with your desk
partners to go back into the text and find three reasons
that support the yes side, with evidence to back them
up.
15.
Class works on this until the end of the Core.
16.
Teacher collects notes for assessment and accountability.
(END OF DAY 1)
17.
Students return to class the next day and complete
general housekeeping and Do-Now.
18.
Class goes over Do-Now on board.
19.
Class moves back into team argument writing. To go
back to what we did yesterday, I want to go around the
room and hear some of the reasons and evidence that
you found to support the YES side of the argument for
student tracking IDs.
20.
Class whip shares ideas around the room.
21.
Class gets three reasons up on the board. Now that we
have the evidence and the reasons, we need three
concrete reasons and three concrete pieces of evidence
that should go into our essay. I want to hear one reason
and one piece of evidence to supports that reason from
each column of students. Im going to write them on the
board (chart paper) as you write them in your
notebooks.
22.
Class goes around the room as teacher writes reasons and
evidence on the board. (END OF DAY 2)
23.
Students return to class the next day and complete general
housekeeping and Do-Now.
24.
Class moves back into team argument writing. Now that
we have our evidence and reasons down, we need to
physically construct the essay. Now we are going to be
moving into groups of my choosing.

25.
Students are split into teams to write each part of the
essay. Students move into groups.
26.
Teacher gives instructions. Now that we are moved
into our groups, each group is in charge of the paragraph
they were assigned. What I want you to do right now is to
elect someone in the group as the designated in their
notebook. Students tell teacher who their recorder is.
27.
Now that we have that squared away, we should
start writing. Each member of the groups needs to
contribute to the writing of that paragraph. Start getting
ideas down and writing out the paragraph. Remember
this is only a paragraph. I will be walking around the
room seeing what youre doing. If you have a question,
let me know.
28.
Teacher gives students time to get ideas down and simply
write in their groups.
29.
Before the core ends, students have brief sharing session.
What are some ideas you had written down, I want each
group to share. Maybe a group actually started their
paragraph? Students share around the room. Students hand in
their work to teacher. (END OF DAY 3)
30.
Students return to class the next day and complete general
housekeeping and Do-Now.
31.
Class moves back into groups to finish up and edit
paragraphs. What we will be doing today is finishing up
our paragraphs and editing them to put them into our
essay. Take this time to finalize your paragraphs. Once
you are finished, elect someone in your group, who
wasnt the recorder to go on the computer in the back
and type out their paragraph into my Google Doc.
32.
Teacher gives instructions to groups with members who are
typing. While one of your group members is typing, I
want the other group members to go back into the article
and highlight evidence that would support the NO side
and write three reasons in the margin.
33.
When groups are done typing, teacher pulls up essay on
projector. Lets take a look at our essay so far. I know
were missing the conclusion, but lets edit what we
have.
34.
Class edits essay with teacher on projector.
35.
Class writes conclusion with teacher on projector to finish
up the essay.
36.
Teacher has a student read the essay as a whole.
Closure:

Teacher reviews the process of argument writing. Argument Writing

is one big recipe. You have the article or text to read, you have
to choose your side, find evidence to support that side and put
it all together into a well-worded and strong essay with pure
fact. Lets see how your feel about the technique of argument
writing. What I want you to do is put your hand on your chest,
like youre doing the flag salute, and give me a 1 meaning you
still dont know how to write an argument essay, a 2 meaning
that you understand the basic techniques of an argument
essay, or a 3 meaning that you understand how to write an
argument essay.
Assessment:
The assessment for this lesson will be the students performance in the
class discussion, the work that they put into their group work, and the
finger-assessment at the end of the unit.

Differentiation/Accommodations:
2,3,11,12,13,14,15,16,18,19,20,21,23,24,26,27,28,29, a,b,c, d,e,f,h

Code
2
3
11
12
13
14
15
16
18
19
20
21
23
24
26
27
28
29
Code
A
B
C
D
E
F
H

Accommodation
Read tests/quizzes as needed
Allow more time to take
tests/quizzes
Peer deliver instructions or
explanations
Buddy in class to assist
Minimize need to copy from board
Notes provided to student by
teacher
Specific guidelines for prewriting
Proofreading checklist
Mnemonic devices
Repeat major points of information
Provide verbal cues
Provide visual cues
Provide sequential directions
Provide study guide
Give questions before reading
Graphic organizers
Essential fact list
Assign fewer/shorter assignments
for HW and CW
Daily Modification
Spelling will not be graded in the
content area
Homework assignment book
checked
Organize locker/folder
Seat student away from
distractions
Seat student near model student
Seat student near chalkboard
Increase response time